The town hall of Paris has given up on the constructions planned at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in its disputed plan for the development of the surroundings of the monument, which attracts 20 million visitors each year, announced the first deputy Emmanuel Grégoire at Sunday newspaper (JDD), Sunday, October 2.
Intended to revegetate and pedestrianize the surroundings of the “Iron Lady”, the OnE project, presented by the mayor (PS) of the capital Anne Hidalgo, has for months aroused criticism from municipal opposition and environmental defenders.
In particular, it was to lead to the felling of around twenty trees, some of them centenarians. The town hall gave up in June, after protests from several associations and personalities. It therefore also decided to abandon four planned constructions. “I am announcing that we are purely and simply canceling any construction project at the foot of the tower, while maintaining the landscaping project”declared Emmanuel Grégoire to the JDD.
“The overall philosophy remains the same”insisted the first deputy in charge of urban planning. “We are going to implement 95% of the OnE project, that is to say a landscape continuity from the Trocadéro to the Champ-de-Mars, faithful to the original design, respectful of the heritage, with fewer cars and more nature. “.
“We do not give in to pressure, we just want our project not to be parasitized by additional controversies. Let’s say that we are correcting the irritating points”he added, specifying that the budget for the project would consequently fall from 107 to 100 million euros.
“Very good news”reacted Christine Nedelec, of France nature environment (FNE), “but the permits [de construire] are still relevant (…) we are waiting for the permits to be withdrawn”. “We also want the restoration of the site and its preservation”she added.